Posted: 11th May, 2006 By: MarkJ
Ofcom has issued an update to its own-initiative investigation into several UK ISP's (Prodigy Networks, ADSL4LESS and Geo Internet), which have not implemented a Dispute Resolution Scheme.
The regulator has since been able to confirm that Prodigy Networks is a member of CISAS, an approved ADR Scheme. However the other two remain under investigation, with a few further details:
In relation to ADSL4LESS and Geo Internet, Ofcom's further investigations have established that these entities may have possbile links (including ownership) with communications providers Nahda Technologies Ltd (in relaltion to Geo Internet) and Hotchilli Communications Ltd, (in relation to ADSL4LESS).
Ofcom has therefore opened investigations into Nahda Technologies Ltd and Hotchilli Communications Ltd (CW/00902/05/06 and CW/00903/05/06 respectively) in order to establish the nature of any such relationships and, accordingly, whether Ofcom has reasonable grounds for believing that Nahda Technologies Ltd and/or Hotchilli Communications Ltd have contravened and are contravening, General Condition 14.4.
Ofcom's previous update was during mid-February and we're more than a little surprised to see that it took them this long to figure out such trivial and obvious aspects.
In the meantime their investigation does not appear to have progressed. We can still recall Ofcoms bold statement from several months ago:
"Ofcom is now considering the next steps in terms of appropriate enforcement action. Any enforcement action undertaken will be announced via Ofcom's Competition Bulletin in due course."
Hopelessly slow.